THE NEW WORLD DISORDER

Kofi Annan's son admits role in oil-for food scam

American critics say U.N. officials
'vampire-like' in their fear of truth

Published: 01/31/2005 at 2:45 AM

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Despite previous statements to the contrary, the son of U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is now said to admit he did indeed play a role in the scandalized oil-for-food program with Iraq, and that’s prompting a call for his testimony before the U.S. Congress.

London’s Sunday Times reported Kojo Annan “admitted he was involved in negotiations to sell millions of barrels of Iraqi oil under the auspices of Saddam Hussein.”

He purportedly told a friend he became involved in talks to sell the oil to a Moroccan company in 2001, and is said to be cooperating now with investigators delving into the program.

In December, Kojo Annan had issued a written statement to CNN, denying any such dealings.

“I have never participated directly or indirectly in any business related to the United Nations,” his statement read.

In light of the disclosure, a California-based group leading the effort to get the U.N. out of the United States is calling upon both Kofi and Kojo Annan to testify before U.S. congressional investigators regarding their roles in the oil-for-food scam.

“U.N. officials have become vampire-like in their fear of the light of truth,” said Melanie Morgan, co-chairman of Move America Forward. “Well, it is time for them to stop running and hiding and face accountability for their corruption and attempts to cover it up.”

While Saddam Hussein was still in power, the oil-for-food program allowed the Iraqi dictator to buy humanitarian supplies under supervision of the U.N. It has since been revealed that corruption was rampant within the program, as Saddam used its funds to purchase influence with political leaders around the world.

According to the Times, it’s Kojo’s connections to Hani Yamani, the son of Sheikh Yamani, the wealthy former Saudi oil minister who set up OPEC, that are under scrutiny.

Yamani lined up a deal four years ago to sell some $60 million in Iraqi oil to a Moroccan company, and Kojo is alleged to have traveled to Morocco to help seal the deal.

“He was just trying to do Hani a favor,” a friend of the younger Annan told the Times. “Believe me, Kojo is as straight as they come. In the end the deal never went through because Hani was trying to make an unrealistic profit.”

Another source, close to Yamani’s business Air Harbour Technologies, told the paper: “Hani Yamani liked to surround himself with the great and the good. Kojo was a very passive executive and I always thought he basically lent his name to the firm. The Annan name obviously has a certain presence when you are putting together deals in Africa.”

Move America Forward has produced a series of television commercials, to help spread the word about corruption at the U.N., and co-chairman Howard Kaloogian says this revelation is telling to say the least.

“With each news cycle we learn that more and more of what we were previously told by the U.N. is an ever-growing pile of false statements and fabrications,” said Kaloogian.

“The only way to get to the truth is to compel Kofi and Kojo Annan to come clean about their oil-for-food dealings with U.S. investigators.”

IMPORTANT NOTE: In light of unprecedented United Nations scandals – from widespread sexual abuse and rape of women and children to the terrorism-supporting oil-for-food scandal – more Americans than ever are pushing for the U.S. to alter or abolish its relationship with the U.N.